Offers concise, expert definitions and explanations of the key concepts written by leading scholars in the field, including several faculty from the University of Texas at Austin. Provides a comprehensive survey of 33 editorial areas, each of which represents a major area of inquiry within sociology. Entries range from short definitions of key terms to extended explorations of major topics. Covers both classical sociology and contemporary developments in the field, with introductions to sociological theories and research that have developed outside of the United States and Western Europe.